Process for preparing vitamin D3 derivatives and intermediates thereof

Abstract: A process for preparing 1α,25(R),26-trihydroxy-22E-ene-cholecalciferol and 1α,25(S),26-trihydroxy-22E-ene-cholecalciferol via corresponding 5E,7E-isomers.

Description: The invention relates to a process for the preparation of the compounds 1α,25(R),26-trihydroxy-22-ene-cholecalciferol and 1α,25(S),26-trihydroxy-22-ene-cholecalciferol, represented by the formula This process comprises a) reacting a compound of the formula Ph 3 P=CHLi, with a specific epimer of the formula wherein X is an oxygen protecting group, to form the corresponding specific epimer of the formula b) reacting the specific epimer of formula IV with a compound of the formula wherein Y is an oxygen protecting group, to form the corresponding specific epimer of the formula wherein X and Y are as described above, c) converting the specific epimer of formula VI into the corresponding specific epimer of the formula d) isomerizing the specific epimer of formula VII to form the corresponding specific epimer of formula I. A process for preparing compounds of formula I is described in US 5 110 958. This process utilizes intermediates having the same 5Z, 7E configuration as the products of formula I. In the instant process the intermediates of formulae V to VII have the 5E, 7E configuration. A preferred aspect of the invention is the reaction of a compound of formula IV with a compound of formula V to a compound of formula VI, wherein X and Y are silyl containing oxygen protecting groups. It is understood that while the C-25 epimers are prepared and discussed individually, mixtures of the C-25 epimers are also within the scope of the invention. As used herein, the term "oxygen protecting group" denotes an ether or silyl ether group, such as tetrahydropyranyl or -Si(R 1 ,R 2 ,R 3 ), wherein R 1 , R 2 , and R 3 are independently alkyl or phenyl, preferably a trialkylsilyl group. The term "alkyl" denotes a straight-chain or branched chain alkyl group containing 1 to 10, preferably 1 to 6, carbon atoms. In accordance with the invention, a compound of the formula [Ph 3 P-CH 3 ] + Z - , wherein Z is halogen other than fluorine, is treated with sec.butyllithium or tert.butyllithium in an aprotic organic solvent, preferably ether, to form a known compound of formula Ph 3 P=CHLi, which is reacted with a specific epimer of formula III, a known compound or which can be prepared by known methods, to yield the corresponding specific epimer of formula IV. The reaction is carried out in an aprotic organic solvent, such as THF or preferably ether. The specific epimer of formula IV is reacted with a compound of formula V, a known compound or which can be prepared by known methods, to form the corresponding specific epimer of formula VI. The reaction is carried out in an aprotic organic solvent, as mentioned above, preferably at a temperature in the range of -78° to 25°C. The specific epimer of formula VI is treated with a fluoride salt, such as tetrabutylammonium fluoride in THF, to form the corresponding specific epimer of formula VII. The specific epimer of formula VII is subjected to photo-isomerization, preferably using 9-acetylanthracene as the catalyst in methanol and tert.butyl methyl ether, to form the corresponding compound of formula I. The compounds of the formula wherein X is an oxygen protecting group, particularly wherein X is -Si(R 1 ,R 2 ,R 3 ), R 1 , R 2 and R 3 being C 1 -C 6 alkyl or phenyl, specially wherein X is thexyldimethylsilyl, as well as the compounds of the formula wherein W is hydrogen or the same or different oxygen protecting group, particularly tert.butyldimethylsilyl or thexyldimethylsilyl, specially the compounds of the group consisting of the following: (1α,3β,5E,7E,22E,25R)-9,10-secocholesta-5,7,10(19),22-tetraene-1,3,25,26-tetrol, (1α,3β,5E,7E,22E,25S)-9,10-secocholesta-5,7,10(19),22-tetraene-1,3,25,26-tetrol, (1α,3β,5E,7E,22E,25R)-1,3-bis[[(1,1-dimethyl)dimethylsilyl]oxy]-26-[[dimethyl(1,1,2-trimethylpropyl)silyl]oxy]-9,10-secocholesta-5,7,10(19),22-tetraen-25-ol and (1α,3β,5E,7E,22E,25S)-1,3-bis-[[(1,1-dimethyl)dimethylsilyl]oxy]-26-[[dimethyl(1,1,2-trimethylpropyl)silyl]oxy]-9,10-secocholesta-5,7,10(19),22-tetraen-25-ol, are novel and constitute a further aspect of the invention. The examples which follow further illustrate the invention. EXAMPLE 1 A suspension of 6.48 g of methyltriphenylphosphonium bromide and 65 ml of anhydrous ether was cooled under Ar to -30°C. Then, 30.9 ml of 1.3M sec.butyllithium in cyclohexane was added dropwise. Then, the mixture was stirred at room temperature for 4 hours. After the resulting orange suspension was cooled to 5°C, 7.11 g of (R)-dimethyl[(2-methyloxiranyl)methoxy] (1,1,2-trimethylpropyl)silane was added. After 20 minutes, the mixture was stirred at room temperature overnight. The yellow suspension was then cooled to -70°C, and 7.43 g of (1α,3β,5E,7E,20S)-1,3-bis[[(1,1-dimethylethyl)-dimethylsilyl]oxy]-9,10-secopregna-5,7,10(19)-triene-20-carboxaldehyde was added. The mixture was stirred at -70°C for 1 hour and then slowly warmed up to room temperature. The reaction mixture was cooled again to 5°C and quenched by the addition of 1.48 ml of acetic acid followed by addition of water. The mixture was extracted with ether. The combined organic layers were dried and concentrated. The residue was partitioned between hexane and 95% methanol. The hexane layer was washed with 95% methanol. The methanol layers were extracted with hexane. The hexane layers were dried and concentrated. The residue was suspended in methanol and the mixture was cooled to solidify the product. The resulting suspension was diluted with 95% methanol and stirred at 0°C prior to filtration. The solid was washed with 95% methanol and dried. The product was suspended in methanol, and the mixture was stirred at room temperature. After dilution with 95% methanol, the mixture was stirred at 0°C. The precipitate was filtered, washed with 95% methanol, and dried to give 7.38 g (71.0%) of (1α,3β,5E,7E,22E,25R)-1,3-bis[[(1,1-dimethylethyl)dimethylsilyl]oxy]-26-[[dimethyl(1,1,2-trimethyl-propyl)silyl]oxy]-9,10-secocholesta-5,7,10(19),22-tetraen-25-ol as a white solid: mp 82-86°C. Anal. Calcd. for C 47 H 88 O 4 Si 3 : C, 70.44; H, 11.07; Si, 10.51. Found: C, 70.08; H, 11.05; Si, 10.24. EXAMPLE 2 A solution of 7.38 g of the product of Example 1, and 92 ml of 1M tetrabutylammonium fluoride in THF was stirred under Ar at 30°C for 24 hours, and then poured into a stirred mixture of 300 ml of water and 100 ml of hexane. The resulting suspension was stirred at room temperature. The precipitate was filtered and washed with water and then with hexane. After drying, the solid was dissolved in methanol, and then diluted with water. After warming, the mixture was stored in a refrigerator. The precipitate was filtered and washed with 50% methanol. After drying, 3.23 g (81.5%) of (1α,3β,5E,7E, 22E,25R)-9,10-secocholesta-5,7,10(19),22-tetraene-1,3,25,26-tetrol was obtained as a white solid: mp 163-166°C. Anal. Calcd. for C 27 H 42 O 4 : C, 75.31; H, 9.83; Found: C, 75.06; H, 9.73. EXAMPLE 3 A solution of 3.20 g of the product of Example 2, 64 mg of 9-acetylanthracene, 1.2 l of methanol and 0.5 l of tert.butyl methyl ether was cooled to -20°C under Ar and irradiated with a 450 W medium pressure mercury lamp through a uranium glass filter for 3 hours. The solution was concentrated at room temperature to give a white solid, and it was suspended in ethyl acetate. After stirring at room temperature, the suspension was diluted with hexane, and stored in a refrigerator. The solid was filtered and washed with ethyl acetate-hexane (3:1). 3.11 g of the crude product thus obtained was dissolved in methanol at reflux. After cooling, the solution was diluted with water, and stirred at room temperature prior to filtration. The solid was washed with 50% methanol and dried to give 2.85 g (89.1%) of 1α,25R,26-trihydroxy-22E-ene-cholecalciferol as a white solid: mp 176-178°C. Anal. Calcd. for C 27 H 42 O 4 : C, 75.31; H, 9.83; Found: C, 75.06; H, 9.90.

Claims: A compound of the formula wherein W is hydrogen or the same or different oxygen protecting group, particularly tert.butyldimethylsilyl or thexyldimethylsilyl. The compound of Claim 1, of the group consisting of the following: (1α,3β,5E,7E,22E,25R)-9,10-secocholesta-5,7,10(19),22-tetraene-1,3,25,26-tetrol, (1α,3β,5E,7E,22E,25S)-9,10-secocholesta-5,7,10(19),22-tetraene-1,3,25,26-tetrol, (1α,3β,5E,7E,22E,25R)-1,3-bis[[(1,1-dimethyl)dimethylsilyl]oxy]-26-[[dimethyl(1,1,2-trimethylpropyl)silyl]oxy]-9,10-secocholesta-5,7,10(19),22-tetraen-25-ol and (1α,3β,5E,7E,22E,25S)-1,3-bis[[(1,1-dimethyl)dimethylsilyl]oxy]-26-[[dimethyl(1,1,2-trimethylpropyl)silyl]oxy]-9,10-secocholesta-5,7,10(19),22-tetraen-25-ol. A compound of the formula wherein X is an oxygen protecting group, particularly wherein X is -Si(R 1 ,R 2 ,R 3 ), R 1 , R 2 and R 3 being C 1 -C 6 alkyl or phenyl, specially wherein X is thexyldimethylsilyl. A process for preparing a specific epimer of the formula comprising a) reacting a compound of the formula Ph 3 P=CHLi, with a specific epimer of the formula wherein X is an oxygen protecting group, to form the corresponding specific epimer of the formula b) reacting the specific epimer of formula IV with a compound of the formula wherein Y is an oxygen protecting group, to form the corresponding specific epimer of the formula wherein X and Y are as described above, c) converting the specific epimer of formula VI into the corresponding specific epimer of the formula d) isomerizing the specific epimer of formula VII to form the corresponding specific epimer of formula I. The process of Claim 4, wherein X is tetrahydropyranyl or -Si(R 3 ,R 4 ,R 5 ), wherein R 3 , R 4 , R 5 are independently alkyl or phenyl. A process for preparing a compound of the formula wherein X and Y are the same or different silyl containing oxygen protecting group, comprising reacting a compound of the formula wherein X is a silyl containing oxygen protecting group, with a compound of the formula wherein Y is as described above.

Inventors: MASAMI OKABE, MASAMI, OKABE
Applicants: HOFFMANN LA ROCHE, F. HOFFMANN-LA ROCHE AG
Application year: 1994
Main classification: C07C401
IPC codes: C07C29, C07C35, C07C401, C07F9, C07F7